15 in ’15 End of the Year Check-in and a Find
I did not complete all the goals I set at beginning of the year. But this has been my best year ever for actually working on goals throughout the year.
√ 15 fused quilt blocks
I had meant to do artistic blocks, but I went off in the direction of fusing lots of scrappy two inch squares. I liked the projects I made, but I still want to do more of what I had in mind.
⇔ 14 fabrics finished up.
This is the area I concentrated on this last quarter. Here are some lap quilts that I made for the VA hospital, mostly plain, but I used up four more fabrics that needed to move on, and one bag of scraps. That is 8 total.
⇔ 13 technique try-outs
I made a T-shirt quilt during this last quarter, but otherwise I didn’t try anything new, so that is 5 total.
⇓ 12 practice art quiltets
Still only one for the year.
√ 11 quilt video segments watched
I watched more video segments, finishing up a Leah Day class and watching most of the Winnie Fleming T-shirt quilt class. So I over-achieved on this goal for the year.
√10 new supplies sampled
I completed this one by using Thermore polyester batting by Hobbs in those lap quilts. It has a slightly sticky finish which I didn’t like that much, but it certainly didn’t shift or lump up, and it only has to be quilted 9 inches apart. But I plan to stick with good old Hobbs 100 % cotton.
√ 9 new dye plants sampled
I did more dye experiments with persimmons, but didn’t get anything I would want to replicate. Still, I am checking this one off the list.
√ 8 small quilts
I completed this goal, and did the four extra, seen above! Granted they are very utilitarian, but I didn’t say anything about artistic value. 🙂
⇓ 7 layers of surface design on cloth
Still nothing here.
√ 6 sessions of sharing textiles
Complete!
√ 5 fiber field trips
During this quarter, I did get to go to the International Quilt Festival for my fifth field trip. We had had so much flooding that weekend, I didn’t know if it would work out, but we went on Sunday morning. It was the least crowded I have ever seen it!
My husband came with me. I thought I would cleverly see what kind of quilts he is interested in, and maybe I could make him one sometime. His favorite was an antique Mariner’s Compass, with really skinny points, and hand-quilting lines an inch apart. I’m glad he could admire one at the show, because I don’t think I will ever make one.
⇓ 4 warps
Still only one.
√ 3 tops (clothing, not quilts)
Finished.
√ 2 big quilts
I have not finished hand-quilting Pixilated, or added any applique to it. So it will need to go on next year’s list. But it is bound, and I did finish the T-shirt quilt, so I am considering this goal met.
× 1 show
I gave up on this one early in the year.
So! Nine goals completed, four partially completed, and two not done.
The interesting thing to me is that the projects I did were much different from what I thought I would do. I feel like someone who plans to try a dozen new cookie recipes, and gets as far as cleaning out the spice cabinet and arranging all the bakeware, but never makes the cookies. I feel like it was a good year of using up odds and ends of materials, and practicing basic skills. I think I will be ready for more artistic projects next year.
And on a very cheerful note, here is my latest find. A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to breakfast with some work friends of his, and after breakfast I decided to go into a resale shop next to the restaurant. Stuffed into a box under a table, I saw this fabric and pulled it out for a look. I initially thought it was just a piece of cheater cloth, but realized it was a quilt in beautiful condition. The resale ladies told me it had just gone on clearance, so I snapped it up.
Nine patch variation.
One block.
The back, showing the perfect spacing of the machine-stitched spirals. I increased the contrast, the back is a lighter purple than it appears here.
I think it may have been a vintage top from the 50s, that someone recently machine quilted. Someone might think that the machine quilting doesn’t match up with the piecing, but it was so consistent! I would be thrilled if I quilted like that. The quilt is absolutely pristine, and the binding is put on the scalloped edge perfectly.
The more I looked at it, the more trouble I had believing that someone would purposely put this in a resale shop. There is just nothing wrong with it. I went on Lost Quilt Come Home and all the local lost and founds I could find, but I didn’t find anything. I guess it is possible that someone just didn’t appreciate it, but it is in a very appreciative home now!
I also looked for the name of this block in Maggie Malone’s book 5500 Quilt Block Designs. Her block 3920 is similar, but that nine patch has a larger square in the center. She gives the name as Glorified Nine Patch and Improved Nine Patch.
I have had really great luck in finding quilts this year. And that is as satisfying as achieving goals!
Congratulations on such a lot of wonderful projects you completed. Lucky find of that gorgeous quilt.
I have you to thank for introducing me to that way of setting goals! It has been fun to follow your progress this year too.
You did good this year! And I believe that finding that fabulous vintage quilt is a most auspicious sign for the future!
I love that idea! Quilts as fortune cookies!
It was refreshing to read an honest summary of a year’s accomplishments. I always weasel around how I count mine. And who says you should work on just your goals? Seems to me you did a lot towards completing projects (and emptying your stash.) BTW, please, please, please tell me your quilt shopping secrets.
You’re right, I did go off in some unplanned directions but I learned a lot and I liked what resulted, so I can’t complain about that.
OK, here are my two secrets. 1) I don’t go shopping a lot, but when I do, I look in every corner and drawer, etc. 2) I look in places where you wouldn’t expect to find textiles — farm tool auctions, car shows, small town “antique” malls where most of the merchandise is used Tupperware and wooden rabbit lawn ornaments.
I don’t know if those secrets will help you, because I have a feeling that in your part of the country, people are more aware of the value of quilts, and maybe more people are on the lookout.
And on this one, I swear it called me, because I have gone in that resale shop only once before, and I wasn’t impressed. But that day I just had to go in.
It’s been fun to follow you on this in 2015. It feels great to use up some older fabric in creative ways. And so many of your goals were to try new things, and I love that, too. Are you planning to do similar for 2016?
My main goals (that I remember actually thinking about) were to read a lot more, and to donate at least 4 quilts. I did both, though I think my reading goal was to read at least two books a month, and I quit counting in the middle of the year, so I don’t know how that actually turned out. (I suspect a little short of goal…) I made some progress on some more personal issues, too. So I wasn’t as ambitious as you, I think!
Yes, but I think you do each project in more depth than I do, paying attention to all the details and how they work together. And your donated quilts are beautifully pieced quilts, most of mine are just layers of sandwiched fabric.
I think for 2016 I am going to pick up where I left off. I feel like I cleared the decks this year, and got some distractions out of the way, so now I can concentrate on some projects I’ve been thinking about for a long time.
And maybe one day, my sewing space will be as organized as yours! 🙂
I guess it’s ok that the polar bears and penguins were combined, as long as whoever gets the quilt understands that it was for artistic purposes only! haha
For the right person, it might be just the thing to snap them out of a spell of depression. “Who made this? Don’t they know those animals are at opposite ends of the planet?!” 🙂
Your artistic intent may well have been to span the Earth! And if not, you can claim it, anyway! 😀
what a grand year and so many accomplishments. I’ll take a drop of credit by saying I’m glad I’m the channel through which my grandmother’s artistic genes passed.
I hope I continue to work on crafts as long as she did! I feel like I should take up crocheting edgings for pillowcases if I want to be truly worthy of her, though! 🙂
I’m quite sure that I, The Cherished Neighbor, had something to do with the one warp! Sorry for slowing you down. Thank you for taking the time to teach me.
No, I just got sidetracked! We will turn out those warps this coming year!
I remember that warp and still am impressed! So, snap, snap, and snap and you got a very intriguing quilt! Nice job on your list….. I’m sitting here with 24″ of snow and cold and A cold but wearing a very old knitted shawl, my ‘friend’. Happy New Year!!
I have already had my annual cold! It got in the way of my holiday plans, but now it is gone and I think I can face cleaning my sewing room after a flurry of projects to start the New Year right! I hope you can relax until your cold passes. And Happy New Year to you too!
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